Matt Ward - Albany Residency

"The latest news from Matt - who's winging his way to Albany
(perhaps on his Jiminy Cricket wings as pictured above!)

"It’s less than a month now until my major project 40 Years Later in Albany, Western Australia and things are really getting busy. I’ve just finished my latest show in London and am making my way to Albany via NSW with family. 40 Years Later is a singing and acting project about the last year of whaling in Australia, or more specifically the events surrounding the international Save the Whale Campaign staged in Albany in 1977. These events are still controversial today, with the eventual protection of whales in 1978 at the loss of many livelihoods of local families.
 
As a performer, my main task is as an interpreter of other’s music. And what I’m really excited about is how 40 Years Later looks towards finding a place for performers as equal part creators. Singing and acting has always been an integral part of my life and profession and my residency at the Vancouver Arts Centre in partnership with Creative Albany Inc and Albany’s Historic Whaling Station has afforded me the perfect chance to explore my place as performer, interpreter and creator.
 
40 Years Later includes at least 19 workshops for schools, existing community groups and the local community. It features at its heart the creation of a new theatre and music work, to be performed in a World Premiere on the 27th of August 2017 by a number of the workshop participants. I’ve been working closely with composer, Jonathan Brain, to create for Albany, its first music and theatre work (or contemporary opera).
 
What’s thrilling for me is how singing and acting can lift history off the page. How it allows us to access our past in a personal and very honest manner. The creation of new music looks towards forwarding our understanding of what performance can be. How can we create new work which both teaches us more about singing and acting and celebrates history in a non-cerebral, exciting way? We certainly hope that 40 Years Later will do just that! In the next few weeks you might get a glimpse of our creation in progress, and we promise you it will excite and challenge your ideas about what vocal performance can be. So join us, and decide for yourself."
 
What’s on:
5th August 2017, 10:00-13:00: Scratch Choir,
Albany’s Historic Whaling Station.

6th August 2017, 14:00-15:00: Matt in Concert, Skeleton Shed,
Albany’s Historic Whaling Station.

12th & 19th August 2017, 10:00-13:00 Open Workshops,
Vancouver Arts Centre.

27 August 2017, 15:00-16:00 & 17:00-18:00 World Premiere of 40 YEARS LATER, Vancouver Arts Centre.
 
More info and bookings at www.vpinitiative.com/40yearslater